Her Future Was Mapped Out. Italy had Other Plans.
Donna Pugliese’s life has been meticulously laid out.
A surprise trip to Italy with her best friend is supposed to be her final adventure before she settles into the life everyone expects of her—marriage to her high school sweetheart and a career as a nurse.
Instead, Italy changes everything.
Upon arriving in Rome, Donna meets Massimo Savino, a handsome Italian tour guide with a guarded heart and a shadowed past. To Massimo, American tourists are trouble—especially Donna. Her curiosity and warmth threaten to tear down the emotional walls he’s built.
As she travels through magnificent cities and gorgeous landscapes, Donna finds herself drawn to a version of life she never imagined. Meanwhile, as their connection deepens, Massimo must confront his feelings for Donna and the dark secret that haunts him.
Ultimately, Donna faces an impossible choice: return home to the life she’s always planned or risk everything for a love that defies expectations and reason.
Hello, I’m Aria D’Amato
I’m a wife and mother of two beautiful children. I work in higher education, where I support individuals with disabilities and contribute to research publications. I write emotionally grounded stories inspired by real people and the relationships that shape them. When I’m not writing, I can be found curled up with a fantasy novel, ballroom dancing, or consuming Reese’s Pieces by the fistful.